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Making a Difference
Cultivating the Future: Agricultural Innovations for Climate Resilience
As the world grapples with the impacts of climate change, extreme temperatures and tragic weather events tend to dominate the news. But a slower moving, less conspicuous threat looms in our future: the challenge of maintaining a sustainable, resilient agricultural system.
“Climate-smart agricultural practices that reduce environmental impact while also building system resilience will ensure that we maintain productive agricultural and forestry systems,” said Dr. Rachel Melnick, division director for Global Climate Change in NIFA’s Institute of Bioenergy, Climate and Environment.
Supported in part by funding from USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture as well as funding from other federal agencies, the University of Maryland College of Agriculture and Natural Resources’ research and Extension programs take a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary approach to that challenge. Read more about the work being done at the University of Maryland.
Row crop field at sunset. Image courtesy of Adobe Stock.
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Number of AFRI FY 2024 Commodity Board Co-Funding Topics Breaks Record; Expands Focus on Nutrition
Ten commodity boards have submitted 21 topics for proposed research accepting applications through the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), NIFA’s flagship competitive grants program.
The topics — published in a modification to the Fiscal Year 2024 AFRI Foundational and Applied Science Request for Applications under the program area priority A1811 AFRI Commodity Board Co-funding Topics — are the highest number of co-funded research topics AFRI has ever received from commodity boards. Read more about the commodity boards that have submitted.
Grants Modernization Stakeholder Survey
You’re invited to take part in a short survey to assist with NIFA’s Grants Modernization Initiative (GMI). Your participation in this survey is a crucial component in ensuring that our GMI is successful and that we can work to improve your experience over time. We want all voices to be heard, so please share your experiences with NIFA’s grants management systems. We want this to work for you!
This survey is designed to take approximately 10 minutes to complete.
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Researchers Focused on Threat of Huanglongbing to Citrus Industry
NIFA National Program Leaders Dr. Emmanuel Byamukama, Dr. Rubella Goswami and Dr. Erica Kistner-Thomas recently attended the seventh International Research Conference on Huanglongbing in Riverside, California. Sponsored and organized by the Citrus Research Board, the conference brought together researchers, regulators and citrus industry members from around the world together to continue the discussion of tackling the spread of Asian citrus psyllid and huanglongbing.
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As part of the conference, there were 21 oral and poster presentations from NIFA’s Emergency Citrus Disease Research & Extension (ECDRE) program project directors. In addition, Dr. Michelle Heck with Cornell University and Dr. Denise Manker with Bayer Crop Science presented results from their Coordinated Agricultural Project.
Dr. Chandrika Ramadugu from the University of California, Riverside was one of the conference speakers. Her work is supported by a $4.6 million grant from USDA NIFA's ECDRE program. She is pictured at right standing in one of her citrus breeding research plots.
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Fighting Hunger with Beef
As part of the University of Idaho (U of I) Extension’s Beef Counts programs, Extension professionals got hands-on experience packaging ground beef chubs at the Idaho Foodbank. Beef Counts is a partnership involving the Idaho Cattle Association, Idaho CattleWomen Council, Idaho Beef Council and Agri Beef Co. that fills Idaho Foodbank freezers with donated beef.
The Extension group is part of the U of I team leading a three-year, $479,000 grant from USDA NIFA to provide training for beginning ranchers throughout the Northwest. They anticipate involving some of the beginning ranchers they’re serving in future volunteer efforts with the Idaho Foodbank. They will also seek to recruit more 4-H participants to help the Idaho Foodbank accomplish its mission of feeding Idaho’s hungry residents. Read more about this project that is addressing food security and providing important training to new ranchers.
University of Idaho Extension educators label ground beef packages. Image courtesy of University of Idaho.
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USDA Announces Annual Consultation and Listening Session on Tribal Barriers
USDA has announced the Annual Consultation and Listening Session on Tribal Barriers: Annual Progress Report and Feedback for Next Steps, to be held April 22-26. These meetings with Tribal Nation officials will highlight historic Biden-Harris Administration investments made in response to Tribal Nation requests and discuss more ways to improve USDA service to Indian Country.
USDA agencies and offices host consultations throughout the year to hear from Tribal Nations about how USDA policies and programs can better support Indian Country.
Education and Research
April 22, 2-3 p.m. EDT - Tribal Caucus
April 22, 3-5:30 p.m. EDT - Tribal Consultation and Listening Session
Register in advance for these sessions. Read more about the other consultations set for the week of April 22.
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Demystifying the Panel Review Process for Grant Funding
Have you ever wondered how funding decisions are made? Do you have questions about serving on a Peer Review Panel and helping to make funding decision? If the answer to any of these questions is “yes,” register to attend the Grant Applicant/Awardee Technical Assistance session slated for May 2 at 12 p.m. EDT. You can submit questions now to have answered during the webinar.
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The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is committed to ensuring that its programs and services are accessible to all individuals, including individuals with disabilities and individuals with limited English proficiency. If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in any NIFA event, please contact the appropriate Program staff no later than 10 days prior to the event. To find Program staff by event, please visit the NIFA Calendar of Events. NIFA Language access services, such as interpretation or translation of vital information, will be provided free of charge to limited English proficient individuals upon request. If you need interpretation or translation services please visit NIFA language services or contact Lois Tuttle, Equal Opportunity Specialist, at Lois.Tuttle@usda.gov or (443) 386-9488 no later than 10 days prior to the event.
NIFA’s mission is to invest in and advance agricultural research, education, and Extension that solves societal challenges. NIFA’s investments in transformative science directly support the long-term prosperity and global preeminence of U.S. agriculture. Keep informed about NIFA, USDA, our Land-grant and non-Land-grant university partners, and stakeholders with the NIFA Update. Read past issues online, sign up for email updates or follow us on X (formerly Twitter) @USDA_NIFA, #NIFAImpacts or LinkedIn @usda-nifa.
If you wish to submit a news item or information, send an email to NIFAUpdate.
USDA is an equal opportunity lender, provider, and employer.
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